150 N Riverside: Chicago’s Most Innovative Commercial Building
Location isn’t just important for brick & mortar stores – it can play a role in the success of digital companies as well. And when I’m talking about location, I’m not just talking about the city. The very building in which a company is located can also be a factor.
For example, consider yourself very lucky if you have the opportunity to set up shop in 150 N Riverside – one of Chicago’s newest and most innovative commercial real estate developments. This building is also the first development in the city to be awarded WiredScore Pre-Certified Platinum, according to a report produced by the firm. WiredScore assesses building connectivity based on the quality and diversity of high-speed service providers, underlying tech infrastructure, and readiness to improve in the future. The firm has certified more than 185 million square feet of commercial office space in over 400 buildings since 2013.
In order for a building to be WiredScore Certified Platinum, they must meet the following criteria:
Have at least 4 Fiber providers with the addition of multiple copper/coax options;
Have Fiber cabling that is easily accessible throughout the whole building;
Have protected and secure dedicated telecom closet to minimize interruptions;
Have 2 points of entry for cabling with room for growth;
Have 2 diverse risers that traverse the building with room for growth; and
Have Streamlined legal contracting process with carriers.
Partially thanks to this certification 150 N Riverside, which will be in development until 2017, has already snagged some pretty high profile clients including William Blair and Company, Hyatt Corporation, Kansas City based law firm Polsinelli, and Victory Park Capital Advisors.
Chicago is already one of the country’s top tech ecosystems. Buildings like 150 N Riverside will bring in highly innovative tenants which will likely attract more innovation to the city.
Sure, your bootstrapped startup probably won’t be able to afford the rent at 150 N Riverside, but look at this as a growing trend in commercial real estate. Developers are realizing that in order to acquire top tenants, they need to equip their buildings with top notch technology, as well as leave room for improvements that will inevitably need to be made.